The Romance Of Two Kingdoms
by Incandescent337
Summary: Hungary looks back on her life, and remembers both the happy and sad moments, especially concerning a certain Prussian. First fanfic, summary sucks!
1. Chapter 1

The dim light of the attic was a shock form the bright morning light, and I blinked rapidly until my eyes had adjusted to the dark. There was so much clutter in the tiny room that I had to feel around me as I walked, carefully picking my way through the broken furniture, like a maze. Eventually I found what I was looking for, a small wooden chest engraved with a eagle with outstretched wings. I blew the dust off of it, and I sneezed as the motes irritated my nose.

I pulled out an old, bent knife, a slightly rusted cross on a black chain, two flags, and a crumpled, bloodstained black cape. Finally, at the very bottom, I found what I was looking for: a large book bound in black leather. I held it carefully, since it there were loose sheets of papers, maps and photographs crammed into the pages.

Putting the cross around my neck and gently placing the other items on the ground next to me, I wrapped the cloak around me and opened the book. As I turned to the first page, I breathed in the scent of the pages, the slightly musty smell of old pages and the faint, faint smell of lilac.

I could still remember the two of us, playing soldier in the fields, tackling one another and falling into the river, returning home with our clothes filthy and ruined.

_Hey, I bet you can't be as awesome as me and climb to the top of that tree!_

_You really want to provoke me?_

_Tell me what the hell 'provoke' means, and I might answer you for once._

Smiling slightly, I looked down at the page, blank only for two grubby children's handprints . Then I turned to the next page, and started to read...

**Sorry for the short chapter! The next one will be longer, I promise. I hope you liked this, and feedback would be AWESOME!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks everyone for the reviews! I'm sorry for the delay, I've got a ton of homework to finish. Also, I'm sorry that this isn't very historically accurate, but I'm focusing more on content than accuracy.**

**I do not own Hetalia, or any of the characters..**

_May, 1800_

__I was standing in the garden, trying to find ants to burn with my new magnifying glass. Well, I thought, looking back on it, I was a lot more masculine then. Iquickly spotted an ant and followed it over to its hill, making my way through the maze-like hedges of the castle Arpa. It was a the first sunny day after weeks of rain, and I could hardly wait to run outside, to stretch my legs after the monotony of being crammed in a study hall all day, as I was banned from the fencing halls after I'd hit the fencing master with a sword. Ducking around a pear tree, I saw the stout, compact figure of my groom come into sight beyond the edge. The man was peering down, seemingly looking for something inside the edges. I knew what he was looking for, though. Unfortunately, me. Like he did every time we walked in the gardens. The sharp call from the groom caused me to roll my eyes in exasperation

"Vetin! Come here, now."

"Why, Ezekiel? I just found an anthill."

"No questions. You'll never become a good soldier with your impertinence."

"But I don't want to be a soldier, I want to be a knight. Or a general."

I heard Ezekiel mutter under his breath, and knowing that meant I was going to get the shit beaten out of me, I ran out from behind the hedge. I almost ran into him, and quickly stepped back. There was something weird with him. He didn't turn to face me, instead he gave me a little shove so I stood near him. I glanced around, expecting a hand to come down and take a swing at me at any second, as punishment for my cheek.

Standing next to him, I noticed that there was a boy standing in front of us, looking me in the eyes. He was a striking looking boy, with his hair so pale it gleamed white, his eyes the colour of blood, which made his already pale skin look even more ghostly. I was satisfied to know I was taller than him.

"Why is she wearing boy clothes? I thought you were rich hear, rich enough to afford proper clothes."

"What are you talking about? I am a boy!" I yelled. _How dare that jackass dare to call me a _girl? Couldn't he clearly tell I was a boy?

"No, can't you tell you're a girl? Are you that much less awesome than me that you don't even know what gender you are?

Clenching my fists, I stepped forward.

Looking uncomfortable, Ezekiel cleared his throat.

"Ventin, this is Gilbert. He's your father's friend from Prussia. You will be nice to him, as he'll be here quite often from now on. I'll leave you two to talk out your problems now."

And, he left me. Just left me. Stuck me with that ass who thought he knew the world's own nature. Great.

"What kind of a name is Venti? That's not feminine at all."

With that, I had had it. Reaching him in two steps, I grabbed him in a headlock and forced him to his knees. Kicking him between the legs, I brought my magnifying glass down over his head with a smack! The glass shattered, and I heard him groan. Still holding his head, I whispered

"Who's the girl now, pussy?"

And I left him there, holding his crotch. Holding the stem of the magnifying glass, I looked down at it. The glass was gone, it was completely ruined. A small price to pay for giving that douche what he deserved.

_And that was my first meeting with Gilbert Belshmidt,the man that I died for many times, and the one who died for me once too many._


	3. Chapter 3

_July, 1800_

__Over the following months after our meeting, I tried my best to avoid Gilbert. In theory it wasn't that difficult, as the estate was huge and we both had many different tutors and lessons throughout the day. In reality, though, it was a lot more difficult. We both appeared to have the same interests, as I often saw him practicing swordplay among the hedges when we had free time, or horseback riding through the forests, things I also loved. So when I itched to perfect the new disarming technique the swords master Brandt had mentioned, I first had to quietly peek around all bushes and trees in the garden before I would grab my wooden training sword, and before I took my pony Bailey for a gallop I would peer into each stall of the barn, to see if Gilbert's pony, Herakles, was gone. So for two months I remained that way, so determined in my vow to never speak to that idióta ever again, that I deprived myself of good amusement many a time.

But one day, I discovered something about Gilbert that changed my opinion of him a little.

It was a humid, wet day in the middle of July, and I had been sitting in my room, staring glazedly at the rain pouring onto the windows. _Great, there's no way I'll get to have any fun today,_ I thought, _just language, math, and boring, boring history._ I felt a draft as Ezekiel opened the door.

"Vetin!"

"What?" I grumbled, lazily stretching. "Just because it's raining doesn't mean that you can rope me into boring lessons."

"Yes Vetin, I think I may have figured that rain, while it may do so with everything else, does not dampen your insufferable need to defy orders."

"I don't _defy, _Ezekiel, as I prefer to say I _make sure my point is made."_

__"Yes, and you do that very well." He cleared his throat. "What I actually wanted to say was that there is a new book on battle strategy in the library, and I thought that you might want to be the first one to look at it."

"Yes! Yes! Yes! Thank you Ezekiel. Something to finally brighten up this horribly bland day!"

I ran out of my room, heading straight to the library on the second floor. Reaching it, I quickly found the book he was talking about, freshly bound, the illustrations beautifully crisp. Opening it, I hurriedly began to read. Having always considered myself a fast reader, I was a quarter done the book before I realized that there was someone else standing next to me.

"Well done, Vetin, you finally noticed me. I was beginning to think you were as dense as you look."

"You bastard, I am not dense! I'm just focused, something that you can never appear to be."

"I didn't know that you watched me Vetin, I'm flattered. Especially since it's a girl that noticed me."

I hated him. I hated him, the arrogant imbecile, with his hands in his breeches, looking as though he ruled the world.

"You-you!" I spluttered. "I do not watch you! Why the hell would I? And for the last time, I am not, I repeat NOT, a GIRL!"

"But that's exactly why you _are _a girl Vetin you overreact just like one."

"I don't overreact." But that was a lie, I knew I overreacted, a hell of a lot.

"No you don't, and my hair is as black as that frying pan cook threatened to hit me with."he said dryly. "So now that you've won, how about you let me read that book with you?"

Grudgingly, I handed the book to him.

"I'm always torn between whether I like battle strategy more than I dislike it," Gilbert said, chewing on his thumb.

"What do you mean?" I asked absently, forgetting who he was.

"Well, I like the idea of everyone having a set place, there being a system and everything, so everyone has a part. But also, it's nice being free to act as you wish, doing things yourself, knowing that if you fail doing something, the only one who pays is yourself."

"I guess that I never thought about it that way," I mused. "I guess that I really don't know."

"Well, like I said, I can't decide."

"Maybe there needs to be a middle ground. Battle plans with room for spontaneity. I think rigidness is hard to work with, but risking yourself just seems so lonely."

"Well Vetin, that middle ground is defintely hard to find. Believe me, I know. That's what my whole life was like, trying to find that middle ground." said Gilbert bitterly, and I looked up in surprise.

"That's why you're here? Because of your family life?"

"Vetin, why did you think I was here?"

And I didn't know. So I remained silent, and for the next two hours we sat there, side by side, looking at the book. I kept sneaking looks at Gilbert from under my eyelashes, looking at his pale face. And we didn't talk more about that, and not for a long time did we mention his family. Eventually the rain stopped, and it was like a spell was lifted. We shook off our emotions, and I left the library, leaving him to stare at the book of strategy, that to him marked the struggles of his life. And a little part, deep inside of me, wanted to stay with him. But I squashed it.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi Everyone, sorry for the long delay! Like, superlong, I'm pretty sure over two months. Everything's just been uber crazy, what with exams and all, but I've finally found time to finish and upload this before the rest of my exams next week. OK, so here we go. Also, apologize for the sudden end and lack of italics for the parts where Hungary is thinking, I wrote most of this on my iPod so the italics wouldn't work properly, and I have to study for exams, but I wanted at least some part if this to get posted tonight, so sorry for the random end! Reviews=love**

It was almost Christmas in the mansion, and with Christmas came the smells of the fish soup and stuffed cabbage being prepared for Christmas Eve. The servants were busy putting up festive decorations and the nativity scene that filled up the whole front foyer. I had always hated that nativity scene, since it made it hard to run around while practicing my fencing on the holly wrapped around the railings, and I got yelled at if I so much as breathed on it.

As the days grew nearer for the big day, not only did I grow more and more excited, but the sole blight on my perfect Christmas became larger and larger. It was like travelling toward a much anticipated destination, but there was a nasty ghetto you had to pass on the way there. You drew closer and closer to your destination, but as you looked through your carriage window, the nasty ghetto drew closer and closer, made even more noticeable the closer you got to your longed for destination. And that blight on my horizon was named (you guessed it) Gilbert Belschmidt.

I didn't really understand why he had to stay here to ruin my favourite time of year, instead of being with his own family, (besides what he had let slip in the library) but that didn't stop me from being angry about it. I sulked right up until Christmas Eve, when it was time for my family's annual Christmas Eve ball. The occasion was famous not only for its fine food and music, but for the little twist we had put on it. Every guest would randomly select a person or character they were to dress up as for the ball (usually somehow related to Christmas). The attire people came in was always delightful, and the surprises made the party even more grand. I was as excited about it as I could be (with HIM around, that was). Until I received what I was to dress up as, at least.

"Female incarnation of mistletoe." said my white paper, a crease from where it had been folded in half ran through the centre.

"How the hell is this even related to Christmas?" I grumbled, throwing the paper down and crossing my hands over my chest.

"You know Vetin, mistletoe, what couples kiss under on Christmas." replied Gilbert, laughing. "But I do believe you will look quite proper, seeing as how you-

"Shut up you douche!" I yelled. 'What the hell are you, anyway?"

"Jack Frost." he replied smugly, crossing his hands over his chest."Fitting, I think."

And as much as I hated to admit it, he did have a point. His red eyes and white blond hair, so white it appeared silver, and pale skin, were perfect for his costume.

Later in the day, we were getting fitted for our costumes. Gilbert was led away to try on his costume, while Elísa, my maidservant led me to a closet to find a dress and accessories for me. As I walked into the large wardrobe where the garments were, I was amazed that at how many dresses there were, enough to fill up half my room if they were spread out. How many dresses do women have? I wondered, running my hand across the fabrics, feeling the textures change from satin, to velvet, to myself the dresses are so pretty, I thought. Wait! What had I just said? I didn't just think that these GIRLY skirts were pretty, did I? No, I DIDN'T!

I jerked my hand away from the velvet I was touching, as if my palm had touched a hot coal.

"What's wrong Vetin?" Elísa asked, a puzzled look on her face. "Is there a spider, or something?"

"N-no, it's fine." I responded quickly. "I just- never mind. And anyway," I said, quickly changing the subject "why would I be scared of spiders?"

"No particular reason sir, except that I thought you were."

"Well, I'm not." I replied curtly.

"Y-yes sir. Of c-course." Elísa wrung her hands together. She was clearly uncomfortable with me. Everyone knew about my sensitivity toward feminine things, especially when Gilbert was around, and her nervous was noticeable. Too bad for her, I thought, but I wasn't in any mood to ease her discomfort in the slightest. Especially since she thought I was unmanly enough to be scared of spiders. Which I WASN'T. Not at all. Definitely. Shaking my head, I turned back to the closet, away from Elísa's pallid face. I stared down the huge wardrobe of dresses, refusing to be intimidated, and sighed. This year's ball was going to be difficult.


	5. Chapter 5

**I wasn't planning to write this chapter ( I didn't actually have an idea for it) but Stardust98 said that they liked the little end chapter of chapter 2, where it goes back to the present Elizaveta's thoughts, so I thought that it would be nice to see what's going on in the present. Sorry for the long ramble, lol!**the

****The door to the attic shook as someone pounded on it. I put down the diary, gently marking my spot with a spare feather.

"I'm coming." I called across the room. "Just give me a minute."

"Alright Eliza, just take your time." That was Feliciano's voice.

"Don't take too long though. I can't take waiting around to do this. Especially when it's a nice day. I feel like the world is spiting me. Get your arse down here." That was Ludwig.

"Luddy, don't be rude! You know Elizaveta takes this time of year just as hard as you do. Be polite!" Feli again. God that man was so kind.

"It's alright Feli. I'll be down in a minute."

I heard their footsteps retreat down the stairs of the attic. Sprawled out against the trunk, hands clenched, as I tried to get my emotions in check. No matter what kind of a face I put on, what lies I fed Feli, this day was excruciating for me. My face dropped to my chest, and I allowed myself a few brief moments of letting go, the tears trailing down my face like a river after a heavy rainfall. I curled into a ball, counting down from thirty. After that half a minute, I sat up and rubbed my eyes, now dry. It was time to put on my game face, and to meet Feli and Ludwig.

I started down the stairs, grabbing a black scarf. Out I went, to make my annual visit to the cemetery.

_I don't like cemeteries Vetin. It scares me, the thought of being stuck in the ground. I hope I'm never buried there. _

_But Gil, what about when you die? _

_I want to be burned, and my ashes scattered somewhere as awesome as me. _

_Is there somewhere as awesome as you?_

_I don't know. But if there is, you have to spread them for me. Promise?_

_Promise_

Looking back, I realized two things. Why were we at a cemetery now? And why was Gil so sure he was going to die first?


End file.
